I am currently in the process of trying to replace all the cable/sat terminating connectors in my home. I wired the whole house with RG6, but used Ideal twist on connectors...they have to go! I have Digicon's compression conectors(like snap n seal) with Digicon's LCCT-1 compression tool. I am also using their 2-blade stripper for prepping the RG6 cable(strips 1/4" off braided sheild and leaves 1/4" long "stinger"). The first couple I tried to do just pushed the cable out of the connector when I tried to compress the fitting, I think I did not seat the cable deep enough into the connector. Does the braided sheilding need to be folded back over the outside insulation before it is inserted into the connector? Should the plastic insulation around the "stinger" be flush with the bottom of the connector? Are these connectors generally difficult to put on the cable?...requiring a lot of pressure and twisting? I double checked to make sure I am using the right connectors for the right cable. I was able to get a couple good connections, but I have a lot more to go! Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Van

mdshunk

July 22nd, 2004, 03:27 PM

I accidently used RG6 Quad Shield (RG6QS) connectors on regular RG6 (or maybe it was the other way around), and had one heck of a time. With the right snap-n-seal's on the right cable, I've never had any trouble. I use T&B's snap-n-seal tool.

southernrain_nc

December 14th, 2004, 06:31 AM

I too am having great problems with my cable in my house. I too have the Ideal twist on f-connector and I am trying to replace hem all with he Digicon snap-n-seal connector.
I have no idea on how to even prepair the wire correctly. I am using a 3-blade ideal cable stripper. I have different types of RG-6. I have RG-6u white wire Quad shielding and RG-6u black shield wire (non-quad) and a orange RG-6 quad shield with icky stuff coating on it.
Am I suppose to take the outer wire starnds and lay it back over the jacket before trying to insert the Comprression fitting?
I have tried to lay it over and also leave it be, and neither way can I get the fitting to insert over the white insulator before compressing it.
I have been using the Blue Digicon DS6-01-01 before compressing over the standard RG6 cable, and it won't slide in. I have tried pliers and even heating up the jacket, nothing seems to work. What am I doing wrong?
Should I be trying to use the Green Digicon connector instead?
I really need step by step detailed instructions on doing this right. Thank you in advance. My cut riddled fingers thank you in advance. :)

Jacksnap

December 14th, 2004, 02:48 PM

You say you are using a SNS connector (snap n seal) and mention an Ideal 3 blade stripper. What compression tool are you using with the SNS connectors? As I understand your description, you are trying to 'crimp' a connector that requires a 'snap tool' (not a crimper per se).

Setite

March 17th, 2005, 08:14 PM

Here's a great article someone posted on another board (I book marked it for future reference as I too have the Digicon F-Type connections):

http://www.interstateelectronics.com/howto/coaxterm.html

Hope this helps!! :)

Setite

March 19th, 2005, 05:37 AM

Ok, the link above shows you how to terminate a standard RG6 cable. However, there are some important things to note about Digicon connections.

The Digicon connectors come with a plastic insert in the middle of them, I've been advised by professionals to take this peace out and throw it away because it is not needed for the termination of these connections. This plastic piece may be confusing to a novice like me, because I actually thought you had to punch the copper wire through the plastic piece.

Second, the Digicon terminations actually require you to cutback the cable a little more, so that twice the foil & dielectric (use a Ĺ inch as opposed to the standard ľ inch) is exposed than is shown in the link I provided above (because the Digicon waterproof piece is longer than normal connections). If you don't cutback the cable far enough, than you will start to squeeze fittings off the coaxial cable. After you determined the proper length for the Digicon connection you may want to trim up the breaded wire a bit, so that it doesn't stick out of the connectorís end after you terminate it. Thus making it look like a professional terminated it.

Don't worry too much about making the copper section too long, because you can always trim this piece up with some cutters after you successfully terminated the connection. Also donít nick the copper piece at all, as this is not a properly terminated connection, because the copper center will hang up when mating your connections later. So if you nick the copper center, I would advise you to start all over again until you have a smooth center piece.

For the best waterproof connection use dielectric water proofing filler for coaxial connections with Teflon (I would only do this in outside areas, such as a direct connection to a satellite dish, antenna, or anywhere else you are connecting a thread connector outside). You would stuff the filler into the cap of the Digicon connection before mating the male and female ends of the connectors together. Mating the connections with the filler in the cap of your connection would than channel the filler into any voids to prevent moisture from entering the connection.

I believe if you follow these steps you shouldn't have an issue no matter what type of compression tool you use, as long as it's a compression tool. I personally use the cheapest tool on the market (Zenith.. it costs around $15 at http://www.techtoolsupply.com/Tools.html), and it will compress the Digicon connectors. However, the Zenith takes a little more strength to do compress the fittings than it would with some of the other fancier models that have springs to aid you with the compression task. I personally can see spending the money on a better tool if you do this all the time, but for hobbyist like myself the $15 tool works fine.

In the end after you're done learning how to terminate the Digicon connections, I think you will find that it's one of the better connections on the market. It was highly praised by my normal supplier as being the best connector on the market; however he pointed out that they can be costly (that why he didnít carry them, and I ended up purchasing the Digiconís from www.techtoolsupply.com). Please note that Iím not affiliated with any of the companies that I mentioned. Iím just a hobbyist that was once lost like yourself. Good luck! Setite over and out!

m.lemay

November 30th, 2005, 01:14 PM

I know this is an old post but it just saved me from ruining 50 digicon connectors. Great site!! I like the the forum so much I registered to let you know how helpful this single thread was. I did a yahoo search and thats how I found you guys! Where do you post to say hello??

Marcel

shdwsclan

July 3rd, 2006, 11:59 AM

I know that this thread is very old, but i stubled upon it on google.

Its ok to use 1/4 inch on digicon....

Digicon Blue is an rg6 connector. If you put a r59 cable in it, you will just be wasting terminators as they will slide out. You will need rg59 terminators for rg59 cable.

That is a disadvantage when moving from crimp to compression.....

YourBroadbandStore

September 11th, 2006, 09:08 AM

Here is a link to the manufacturerís installation guide, Digicon F-Connector Installation Guide (http://www.arrisistore.com/digicon/Digicon-F-Connector-Installation-Guide.pdf). The guide discusses the required cable preparation as well as connector application and tips.

juniper18

November 27th, 2006, 10:26 AM

Hi all,

I terminated, with a compression tool, the rg6 quad cables over the weekend (and also an rg6U dual shield cable, but with a different connector) but cut that last braided wire on the quad (the only one on the dual) that was resting against the centre foil, instead of folding it back.

Am I asking for trouble? or does it matter much? Getting great TV reception , cable boxes are working, and the cable modem is at peak also according to speed tests. I don't want to have to re-terminate if there is little or no difference. Is this a contact issue between the shield and connector or is the reason more ominous?

If anyone can help me understand the error (or not) of my ways it would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Jamy

Kode VioL8R

November 27th, 2006, 06:14 PM

Nah, if everything is working fine don't change it. Those connectors are too expensive. Really the purpose of properly prepping the braid is to help guide the connector on. It's usually easier to push the connector onto the coax by folding back the braid instead of cutting it. But sometimes the connector can still be forced into place with some of the braid being cut. As long as you got the connector on all the way, no need to worry.